I received a copy of EverDare in exchange for a fair and honest review.

EverDare is the first novel in the Eternity Duet. You can read both EverDare and NeverSleep in one giant volume if you so choose (bonus: the cover is insanely pretty for the collected edition). Or you can read them both individually, like I have done here.

I honestly can’t praise Brindi Quinn’s writing as much as it deserves. This time last year I had never heard of her, and in the time span of a few short months I’ve found myself diving into her immersive worlds; with her quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I’m only about halfway through her works right now, but I have to say I’m thoroughly impressed (if you’re looking for recommendations, I’ve read and loved: The Pursuit of Zillow Stone, Lightborne, The World Remains, and The Death and Romancing of Marley Craw).

The Eternity Duet is another entirely new world from the mind of Brindi Quinn. I still can’t get over how different every one of her worlds is, how unique and full of personality they are. This one was probably one of my favorite worlds so far (but like I said, I’m only halfway through her works, so that may change). The complexities of the world, city politics, and magical system are outstanding; yet it never crosses the line into overwhelming. It’s intricate and fascinating and I desperately want to see more of it (which is really just me being greedy – Brindi Quinn has thus far been unafraid to show us the world and magical systems involved).

Upon seeing the cover for the Eternity Duet, I knew I had to give this series a try (confession time; covers with blues and purples on them are almost always my favorites); more than that though I was intrigued by the concept of the novel. It has a magical system that requires balance between the main cities by forcing them to share and trade off on the style and type (color) of magic. To say that is unique would be an understatement.

EverDare was a really interesting read for me; the main characters were not what I was expecting (when will I learn to stop having expectations with Quinn’s writing?) nor was the magical system…it was so much more. It is a bit of a slow start – but only so that there can be a gradual build up to the plot. I actually enjoy this sort of start, since it gives me time to get to know the characters and get an idea for the world around them.

I absolutely adored the two main characters for this novel; Awyer and Grim (yes, you read that right). I immediately took to Grim; with her personality jumping back and forth from serious to enchanting, but it took me sometime to warm up to Awyer. The more I got to know him (and thus understand some of his motivations and compulsions) I found myself like him so much more.

As for the bond that Awyer and Grim share? I adored this concept. It started off reminding me of an Avatar from Whitewolf’s Mage system (where the Avatar would essentially force the mage to their intended purpose, kicking and screaming if needed). I’ll admit this amused me to no end during the early parts of the book (though I acknowledge that there’s no way that Quinn based her work off of this). As I read on though, I learned that their relationship was actually much more dynamic than that. There is and was so much emotional and guilt and history wrapped up in the bond between Awyer and Grim that I’m not sure they could destroy it even if they wished to.

The plot took some time to fully unravel, which gave me time to understand the world and the gravity of the situation. The characters did a pretty wonderful job of not letting their burdens overwhelm them, though at times it was surely a trial. Even early on it became clear that there was a lot going on behind the scenes that we weren’t yet informed of. I can’t wait to see more of that being revealed in NeverSleep.

EverDare is a powerful and compelling story that has many different elements for fans to enjoy. There’s the fantasy element (naturally), a little bit of a coming of age tale (For Awyer), a love story, and a story of betrayal (if we’re being strict on the definition of it). I loved every piece of it, and I can’t wait to read the second half, NeverSleep.

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About Liz

I am an avid animal lover, photographer, graphic designer, and much more. I love to create art, and am willing to try and artistic technique at least once. I am particularly fond of artworks involving a lot of emotion and color. The purpose of my blog is for me to be open and honest with myself and the world about my attempts to grow as an artist.
The facts: My favorite color is constantly changing, so don’t worry about trying to keep up with that! I’m in my 20’s, married, and looking to find the perfect job for me (ideally something that can involve my creativity or my love of animals). I have 6 cats (If we’re being technical, I have 2 cats and my parents have 4), a bearded dragon, a parakeet, and two betas. I adore all of them, and they frequently are my photography models.
My blog will primarily be consisting of my 365 (366) photography project, updated daily (hopefully). I’m also working on a 52 weeks project, where I try a new type of photography style or technique each week. That will be updated as the photos are processed.